Two funnies.

On our trip to Garden the girls watched some movies.  Headphones aren't exactly made for children so I had to improvise....with a diaper.

In Kansas sometimes it is crazy windy!  We found a robin egg blown out of a tree and a baby bird blown out of a tree.  So sad.  I love that my hair holds curl in drier weather, but it really doesn't matter with all that wind.  Here's the proof.  Jeff calls this one "Darci, add wind."  Like my doo?  Why does anyone bother fixing their hair in that town?

Garden trip 2011

We left Friday night to go visit family in Garden. The trip was short, but sweet. It was filled with good conversation, laughter, pretty skies, family, and fun.  Day one was a visit to my sister's house so the cousins could play.  We also got to go eat at my favorite restaurant, El Zarape.  Sunday was church and then a yummy supper with Jeff's family, aunt, uncle, and cousins.  Sunday afternoon, my mother-in-law, the girls, and I met up with my sister and the cousins at the big pool.  We had a blast.  It sure has changed since I last went to the big pool.  They now have water slides.  My sister and I had a ball having contests to see who could get out of their slide the fastest.  Monday we traveled back.  The girls traveled very well.  I have the best kids!

One of the few things I miss about Garden...the pretty sunsets!

These clouds were formed into perfect stripes. It was really neat!

I can't believe we got them to hold still for this.

These two are buds!

Baby Derek is a Mama's boy, but boy is he cute!

My mother has a grandkid "angel" wall and has been pestering me to get Bren's angle pic.  So I borrowed my sister's angel wings and got it done while at her house.  Turned out good I think.

Yes, I have advanced to granny skirts for swim wear.  Oh well.

My AWESOME mother in law.  Such a blessing!

Next trip....romantic get away with the hubs to Chicago over the 4th.  Can't wait.

Jumping and fancy moves

All of you have kids know that there are just times when they crack you up.  It all started with Bren trying to show her Daddy that she is starting to jump.  She's still got a long ways to go, but it's a start anyways. 



Next thing we know, they're both trying to show all kinds of fancy moves.

Last Sunday we had the pleasure of attending a community event at a local church.  Our friends and neighbors Tami and Bo invited us.  Jeff was out of town so it was just the girls and I.  EVERYTHING was free. We ate lunch for free, had some sweet treats for free, and participated in all activities for free.  The girls got to try cotton candy for the first time.  Kadyn was a fan, Bren not so much.  She spit it out.  I think the texture was too weird for her.  There was a TON of people there.  There were carnival-like rides, carnival-like games, bouncy houses, a game show, horses to ride, a fish pool to fish in, a rock wall to climb, a bungee cord thingy, face painting, balloon animals, and plenty of stuff we never made it too.  There was so much to do it was almost overwhelming.  The girls had  BALL.   

When we entered the gates they gave us a wrist band with at time on it.  The time on our bands was when  we were allowed to enter some huge tents and pick out anything we wanted for FREE.  By the the time I got to the tent, it was all picked over, but I really didn't mind.  We had fun anyways.  Kadyn even got to go into a children's tent and pick out something.  She came out with a whole bunch of bracelets.  The items in these tents were donated from the community.  There was anything from washer and dryers to little nick nacks.  Some of the items were even new and they were all FREE.  I saw one man come out with a new flat screen TV.  It was almost like a big garage sale, without the sale part.  Really phenomenal and such a blessing to the community.

Anyhow, here are some pics of the girls enjoying the great event:

Bren cried after every single activity.  She didn't want to leave to go to the next one, she had so much fun at each and everyone.  Probably her favorite though, was the horses.  Both girls had never been fishing before so it was pretty neat for them to get to fish and both catch one too.  The man even let them pet the fish.  Bren was cracking me up during lunch because she kept hiking up her dress to check out how big her tummy was getting after that big hot dog. I had to remind her that it wasn't very lady like to lift her skirt.  I find so much joy watching my girls do fun and exciting things. I knew I was making some lifelong memories, especially since the cotton candy and fishing were firsts for them. I only wish Jeff could've been there to share in the fun of it all.  I know he would've delighted in watching the girls enjoying themselves too.  However, he had a good time on his man trip in Kentucky at a music festival.  Now I sit here and wonder, when is it my turn to have a woman trip? LOL.

New little gal

Here in about 3 weeks I will be starting a new little gal at daycare.   When I say new I mean new.  She will be 8 weeks old then.  Her parents are just lovely and she is a doll.  Mom says she is a real easy baby.  Even though infants are a little more hands on than I like, this should be a walk in the park compared to what I  was dealing with before.  I'm excited to be adding another little girl and to be able to snuggle an infant again. 

I will casually look for another child, but I'm not really in a hurry until Kadyn goes to school.  Four just seems to be my number.  I would like to find someone a little older so my little guy has a buddy closer to his age.  He can play with Bren, but there is still a big enough of an age gap, that it won't be quite as fulfilling for him as when Kadyn is around.  We shall see.

Did it again!

We hatched another brown moth out of a cocoon!  What a let down.  Oh well.  Kadyn enjoyed it and it's always fun seeing the cycle of life.

Beds, Garden, Birthday, and Pool

I decided it was time the other day to switch Bren to a big girl bed.  When we bought Kadyn's bed, we decided to get bunkbeds just in case we had three kids and needed the girls to double up in a room.  As it turns out, we aren't having three kids, but the girls want to double up anyways. This made made me happy as it freed up Bren's old room.  Now I am in the process of making it into a playroom which we desperately needed upstairs. They were SOOOO excited about the beds.  Once we got them assembled they played in them all day.

Bren was sad that she had to go to bed in her crib while we waiting on her new mattress to show up.  Last night was her first night in the bunkbed.  She got out of it three times.  At one point she wanted to go back to her crib (which was already dissassembled).  I think it was hard for her to fall asleep in a new room and new bed.  She finally went down, so I think after a couple more nights she will be fully adjusted.

Bren in her crib for the LAST time.

Bren first night in her new bed

Look of sheer happiness that she gets the top bunk.

Both girls first night together

Jeff built me a planter box on the side of the house.  You can't tell from the picture but our lot is very sloped and ROCKY.  It took him a couple weekends to get done, but it looks great.  I plan on putting a tomatoe plant and cantaloupe in this box. He is going to make me another probably next fall.  He filled it with topsoil and a little cow manure.  Unfortunately, the girls couldn't keep their mitts off of it.  Jeff came in and said, "Don't freak out but the girls played in cow poop."  Straight to the bathtub they went.  They sure did have a ball "helping" Dada and just being outside with him.

Jeff had his 33rd birthday last Friday.  We had plans to go to the go-kart track and out to eat, but the rainy weather didn't accommodate those plans.  We settled for BBQ and a little shopping at the landing.  We darted from store to store in the rain, but it was still fun.  Jeff had Dr. Pepper brisquit and I had fried catfish sticks.  Here we are having some yummy BBQ.

Last week we got to get the baby pool out.  It was hot and sticky for a couple days.  You would never have believed it though judging on the weather we are having now.  Brrrrr!  Last night it got down in the 30's.  Crazy weather.  Needless to say, I will be waiting to plant my garden on the side of the house.  Anyhoo....the girls were SOOO exctied to break out the baby pool and Bren cried when we put it away for the night.

I love how it entertains them for hours so I can sit in the garage and study for my praxis.